I always say “green beans are the perfect side dish for any meal”.   They are healthy, reasonably priced, it’s currently in season and can be served hot or cold!

I have been experimenting with creating new recipes, trying to use only “6 Ingredients or Less”, as I will be teaching a cooking class at the City of Calabasas and I’m thinking this could be a great concept for a class.

I am also trying to simplify my cooking so instead of blanching or boiling my green beans, I put a tad bit of water in a pan with the green beans and covered them.  This allowed the green beans to steam without the fuss of the boiling or blanching.  I also started with a little oil in the pan as I wanted my green beans to be slightly browned.

Different Jam Combinations:

• Change the jam to apricot and the oil to coconut
• Add raspberry jam and no oil, a little more water
• Fig jam is a great option (if you can find it)
• No jam and still steaming?

Place green beans in a large dutch oven pot with 1-2 teaspoons of oil and 1 tablespoon water, salt, pepper and garlic

Cover (this allows the string beans to steam), cook 4 minutes, toss, cover and cook 4 additional minutes or until cooked through, do not overcook.

This is what you are looking for, a slight “crisp” to the green bean, slightly browned (thanks to the oil) and completely cooked through (thanks to the water and cover).

Place the sweet and spicy jam on top

Toss and serve!

I am obsessed with this jam from Trader Joes for sweet and spicy chili jam, if you can not find a spicy jam/jelly in the market (jalapeno jam), you can change it up by adding raspberry, apricot or any other jam.  I think for the class I will be doing an apricot jam with sliced almonds, adding a texture to the string beans.

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Thank you again ~ Patty Limatola-Tanenbaum